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TFC Official Rules

Teen Film Challenge Logo
Who Can Enter

Core team members (director, producer, cinematographer, editor) are REQUIRED to be youth (12-19). Other team members may be of any age outside of the core team members. We highly recommend a team approach to cover the 4 core roles, but the competition also allows a single teenager to act as all 4 core roles.

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Time Period

The 2024 TFC is 72 hours between Thursday, August 1, 2024 at 8:00 pm EST and Sunday, August 4 at 8:00 pm EST. The kickoff event begins at 7:00 pm EST on Thursday, August 1. Films must be completely uploaded by 8:00 pm EST on Sunday, August 4. Late films received after the official deadline are NOT eligible for awards and prizes.

 

Kickoff Event

While it’s encouraged for as many team members to be present, each team must have at least one representative at the official Kickoff Event of the Teen Film Challenge on THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2023 at 7:00 PM EST.

  • Each group will select the GENRE and a TITLE in a random virtual drawing.

 

Creative Work

All creative work must take place during the Teen Film Challenge time period. Any creative work completed in advance of the competition weekend is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

  • Scriptwriting

  • Rehearsing

  • Costume/Set Design

  • Shooting

  • Editing

  • Sound Design

  • Rendering

  • Exporting

 

The only work allowed prior to the competition is:

  • Recruiting and organizing the crew

  • Recruiting and organizing the cast

  • Securing equipment

  • Scouting/securing locations

 

Film Types

Any film type is allowed as long as it reasonably connects to the genre, title, and prop drawn at the kickoff event. Film types includes narrative, documentary, stop motion, animation, etc. The running time for films is 3-6 minutes, not including end credits.

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Films should be family friendly. Films CANNOT contain explicit language, violence, and/or sexual situations. Films should NOT promote any type of drug or alcohol use. Think Family Friendly / PG Rating!

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Music Rights

Teams are encouraged to work with musicians to write and record music for the films. Teams can also use pre-recorded music but must have rights to any music used in the film. Teams must provide releases for all music used and recognize music in the film credits.

 

Total Running Time

The finished film must be a minimum of 3 minutes and a maximum of 6 minutes — not including end credits. 

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Credits

Before the finished film begins, the following needs to be on-screen:

  • 5 seconds of black

  • A title card with: team name, title, genre, and date

  • The official Teen Film Challenge logo (emailed to all team leaders)

  • 2 seconds of black

 

THE END CREDITS MUST INCLUDE:

  • Film Title

  • Director

  • Cinematographer

  • Editor

  • Scriptwriter

  • Producer

  • Actors

  • Any other “production roles”

  • Music

  • The words “This film was made for the 2024 Teen Film Challenge.“

 

Final Film Format for Export 

The final exported film should be formatted as one of the following:

  • (preferred) 1080 H.264

  • (if using Adobe Premiere) export as “Vimeo HD 1080p” preset

 

How to Submit Your Final Film 

  • We recommend that each team submit two copies of the final film

  • ALL FILMS need to be uploaded by 8:00pm EST on SUNDAY to SUBMITTABLE.com

  • NOTE: late films received after the official deadline are eligible for screening but not eligible for awards and prizes.

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